Rhetoric: A Very Short Introduction

Richard Toye

Description

Rhetoric was once an essential part of western education. Aristotle wrote an important treatise on it and Demosthenes remains famous to this day for his skills as a rhetorician. But skill with rhetoric today is no longer admired. Rhetoric is often seen as a synonym for shallow, deceptive language-empty words, empty rhetoric--and therefore as something quite negative. But if we view rhetoric in more neutral terms, as the "art of persuasion," it is clear that we are all forced to engage with it at some level, if only because we are constantly exposed to the rhetoric of others. In this Very Short Introduction, Richard Toye explores the purpose of rhetoric. Rather than presenting a defense of it, he considers it as the foundation-stone of civil society, and an essential part of any democratic process. Using wide-ranging examples from ancient Greece, medieval Islamic preaching, the wartime speeches of Winston Churchill, and modern cinema, Toye considers why we should all have an appreciation of the art of rhetoric.

About the Series:

Oxford's Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how the subject has developed and how it has influenced society. Eventually, the series will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the area of study that one deems important or appealing, whatever the topic that fascinates the general reader, the Very Short Introductions series has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable.

Rhetoric: A Very Short Introduction

Richard Toye

Author Information

Richard Toye is Professor of Modern History at the University of Exeter. His books include Lloyd George and Churchill: Rivals for Greatness and Churchill's Empire: The World That Made Him and the World He Made.

Rhetoric: A Very Short Introduction

Richard Toye

Reading Guide

Questions for Thought and Discussion

Are there any specific speeches or orators that members of your group particularly admire (or dislike)? What is it about them that provokes these strong reactions?

Do you sympathise with Plato’s negative view of rhetoric? What are the counter-arguments?

Why is tricolon (the three-point list) such an effective rhetorical technique?

It is natural to assume that speakers should ‘always say what they mean’, but are there any exceptions? Take the example of the film scene in The 39 Steps, described in the book, as a starting point for discussion.

Can the character of a speaker affect the validity of his or her argument?

In what ways can speakers use non-verbal symbols to reinforce their arguments?

What does it mean to say that rhetoric is ‘a social phenomenon’?

Have there been any recent news stories that highlight the difficulties that orators face when addressing multiple audiences?

How does technology affect rhetoric?

Devise a rhetorical exercise that would help speakers strengthen their skills.

Martin Luther king was an extremely effective orator, but if you tried to speak like him you might risk sounding silly. Why?

If a speaker uses a ghost-writer, does that make the speech less ‘authentic’?

Why do different countries have different expectations surrounding public speech?

What are the causes of rhetorical failure?

Did the book change your views about what is appropriate with regards to public speaking? Did it make you feel more or less inclined to make a speech yourself?

Other books by Richard Toye

The Roar of the Lion: The Untold Story of Churchill’s World War II Speeches (Oxford University Press, forthcoming, 2013)